Cocaine was a factor in almost one-third of all inquests into drug-related deaths heard in Dublin city last year, according to statistics released yesterday by the Dublin City Coroner.
Of the 87 inquests into drug-related deaths heard at Dublin City Coroner's Court in 2007, pure cocaine toxicity accounted for 14 deaths, while cocaine was a contributory factor in a further 14 deaths, the statistics reveal.
Pure heroin toxicity accounted for 14 deaths with heroin cited as a contributory factor in a further 12 drug-related deaths.
Meanwhile, pure methadone toxicity accounted for 12 deaths with methadone playing a contributory part in a further 19 deaths.
Multi-drug use accounted for more than a third of fatalities in narcotics-related inquests in 2007, with 35 per cent of people having consumed a combination of drugs rather than just one drug.
The coroner released the statistics at an inquest into the death of a young mother of two who died of multi-organ failure from cocaine toxicity, after she and her mother swallowed damp cocaine.
Marie Fallon (24), Gateway View, Ballymun, was admitted to the Mater hospital on June 6th, 2006, after suffering numerous seizures and heart attacks after she swallowed damp cocaine. She died the following evening.
Ms Fallon had also consumed a different "deal" of cocaine earlier in the evening, with her mother, Margaret Fallon, and her partner David Kavanagh.
The cocaine was analysed, but was not found to contain any contaminants, such as lignocaine.
The coroner warned of the dangers of consuming street cocaine, "which is never pure." The impact of cocaine on the body can be unpredictable. Moreover, its toxic effects are not dose-related. "I'm sorry to say this was a toxic reaction to cocaine," he said.
Cocaine has hit the headlines in recent months following the death of model Katy French and two young men in Waterford city, who died after taking the drug.
Before Christmas, Dublin County Coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty warned young people against the dangers of using drugs, particularly cocaine.
The narcotic's toxicity was the most common cause of death in more than 50 per cent of all inquests into drug-related fatalities heard at Dublin County Coroner's Court in 2007, figures released in December 2007 revealed.
Of the 47 inquests into drug-related death which were heard at the court in 2007, 26 were cocaine-related, 16 were heroin-related and five were ecstasy-related.
The county coroner told the court in December that cocaine was by far the greatest killer of all.
Meanwhile, MDMA (ecstasy) accounted for one death out of all drug-related deaths at Dublin City Coroner's Court in 2007, with the drug cited as a contributory cause in three narcotics-related fatalities.